The Golden Rocket was a proposed namedpassenger train of the Rock Island (CRIP) and Southern Pacific (SP) railroads. Planned in the late 1940s, Southern Pacific eventually pulled out of the agreement and service never commenced.
A magazine ad for the Golden Rocket from the Rock Island.A magazine ad for the Golden Rocket from Southern Pacific.
In February 1946, the Rock Island and Southern Pacific Railroads planned on jointly introducing a high-speed, tri-weekly passenger train that would run between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.[1] Two 11-car consists were to have been placed into service on the new line, one owned by the CRIP and the other by the SP.[2] However, just as Pullman-Standard neared completion on the Rock Island trainset in 1947, and in the midst of an aggressive advertising campaign, the Southern Pacific abruptly withdrew from the project.[3] Rock Island took delivery of its rolling stock: a baggage-dormitory car, three coaches, a coffee shop-bar-lounge car, four sleeping cars, and a sleeper-lounge-observation car (with barbershop).
4-double bedroom, 4-compartment, 2-drawing room sleeper La Quinta
22-roomette sleeper La Costa
12-double bedroom sleeper La Jolla
12-double bedroom sleeper La Palma
2-double bedroom, 1-drawing room sleeper buffet lounge-observation La Mirada
The proposed Southern Pacific consist for the Golden Rocket that was never built:[1]
Baggage-dormitory
Coach Valle Rio Grande
Coach Valle del Sol
Coach Valle Imperial
Coffee-shop lounge El Café Frontero
Diner La Fonda
4-double bedroom, 4-compartment, 2-drawing room sleeper Monte Chiricahua
22-roomette sleeper Monte Santa Rita
12-double bedroom sleeper Monte San Jacinto
12-double bedroom sleeper Santa Catalina
2-double bedroom, 1-drawing room sleeper buffet lounge-observation La Galleria
Fate of the equipmentedit
The units arrived bearing the ill-fated Golden Rocket's eye-popping livery, painted bright vermilion on top and bare stainless steel on the bottom. The cars also retained the festive Mexican-themed interiors originally intended for the Golden Rocket.[1] Rock Island assigned the cars to service on the Golden State,[4] its other transcontinental train (jointly operated with Southern Pacific).[3]
The Golden State's cars and locomotives retained the Golden Rocket colors well into 1953, after which time the locomotives were repainted in the SP's well-known red-and-orange Daylight livery. Both railroads advertised the Golden Rocket. It was promoted as "America's Newest, Most Beautiful Streamliner"; instead, it became "the train that never was."
golden, rocket, train, golden, rocket, proposed, named, passenger, train, rock, island, crip, southern, pacific, railroads, planned, late, 1940s, southern, pacific, eventually, pulled, agreement, service, never, commenced, magazine, golden, rocket, from, rock,. The Golden Rocket was a proposed named passenger train of the Rock Island CRIP and Southern Pacific SP railroads Planned in the late 1940s Southern Pacific eventually pulled out of the agreement and service never commenced A magazine ad for the Golden Rocket from the Rock Island A magazine ad for the Golden Rocket from Southern Pacific Contents 1 History 1 1 Planned rolling stock 1 2 Fate of the equipment 2 See also 3 References 3 1 BibliographyHistory editIn February 1946 the Rock Island and Southern Pacific Railroads planned on jointly introducing a high speed tri weekly passenger train that would run between Chicago Illinois and Los Angeles California 1 Two 11 car consists were to have been placed into service on the new line one owned by the CRIP and the other by the SP 2 However just as Pullman Standard neared completion on the Rock Island trainset in 1947 and in the midst of an aggressive advertising campaign the Southern Pacific abruptly withdrew from the project 3 Rock Island took delivery of its rolling stock a baggage dormitory car three coaches a coffee shop bar lounge car four sleeping cars and a sleeper lounge observation car with barbershop Planned rolling stock edit The Rock Island consist for the Golden Rocket 1 Baggage dormitory 820 Coach Valle Verde Coach Valle Vista Coach Valle Mar Coffee shop lounge El Cafe Diner El Comedor 4 double bedroom 4 compartment 2 drawing room sleeper La Quinta 22 roomette sleeper La Costa 12 double bedroom sleeper La Jolla 12 double bedroom sleeper La Palma 2 double bedroom 1 drawing room sleeper buffet lounge observation La MiradaThe proposed Southern Pacific consist for the Golden Rocket that was never built 1 Baggage dormitory Coach Valle Rio Grande Coach Valle del Sol Coach Valle Imperial Coffee shop lounge El Cafe Frontero Diner La Fonda 4 double bedroom 4 compartment 2 drawing room sleeper Monte Chiricahua 22 roomette sleeper Monte Santa Rita 12 double bedroom sleeper Monte San Jacinto 12 double bedroom sleeper Santa Catalina 2 double bedroom 1 drawing room sleeper buffet lounge observation La GalleriaFate of the equipment edit The units arrived bearing the ill fated Golden Rocket s eye popping livery painted bright vermilion on top and bare stainless steel on the bottom The cars also retained the festive Mexican themed interiors originally intended for the Golden Rocket 1 Rock Island assigned the cars to service on the Golden State 4 its other transcontinental train jointly operated with Southern Pacific 3 The Golden State s cars and locomotives retained the Golden Rocket colors well into 1953 after which time the locomotives were repainted in the SP s well known red and orange Daylight livery Both railroads advertised the Golden Rocket It was promoted as America s Newest Most Beautiful Streamliner instead it became the train that never was See also editEl Comedor Passenger trains on the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Passenger trains on the Southern Pacific RailroadReferences edit a b c d Dubin 1964 p 220 Schafer amp Welsh 1997 p 73 a b Dubin 1964 p 221 Schafer amp Welsh 1997 p 74 Bibliography edit Dubin Arthur D 1964 Some Classic Trains Milwaukee Wisconsin USA Kalmbach pp 220 221 ISBN 978 0890240113 Schafer Mike Welsh Joe 1997 Classic American Streamliners Osceola Wisconsin MotorBooks International pp 73 74 ISBN 978 0 7603 0377 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Golden Rocket train amp oldid 1119103321, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
